Caldwell then ripped the red paper from the box, shook it and discovered what was inside.

"Clothes," she said with a half-grin.

Almost as soon as Aariyah finished with her first present, another box was handed to her from the table stacked neatly with carefully wrapped presents and holiday-themed gift bags.

Taped to the table was a list with the rest of her family's names -- Andrea, Miracle and Sherriece.

The four comprised Family 13, one of 15 families at Bridgestone Arena there for an evening of dinner, skating and Christmas presents courtesy of the Predators, in conjunction with the West Nashville Dream Center.

'Grateful, thankful'

Andrea Robertson has been leaning on the West Nashville Dream Center for years, she said.

She brought one of her daughters, 17-year-old Sherriece Harvell, to the event, along with two of her granddaughters,including Aairyah.

Robertson grew up in Nashville and works as a server. She's a single mother who also helps take care of her grandchildren.

But she's only able to help so much, she said.

"It meant everything," Robertson said of the dinner and the gifts. "I saw them smiling and happy and excited. It's going to make a big difference. I ain't going to have to try to figure out how to help their mothers with the (Christmas) gifts.

Gifts that keep on giving

Robertson's family walked out of Bridgestone Arena that night with seven oversized plastic bags stuffed with presents — clothing, scooter, radio and a lot more.

"I saw my daughter (Sherriece) with her necklace and some earrings and she was like, 'Mom, Mom, look at my jewelry.' It’s a blessing to see them humble and caring about everything that was given to them," Robertson said.

Watson, dressed in a full-on elf costume, decorated his protective walking boot with lights and bows for the occasion. Though he didn't skate, he was on the ice at his own risk, with all the families.

"It's just about giving back," Watson said. "We're fortunate to play a game for a living. It's such a great community. ... It’s a perfect opportunity to have fun, dress up and skate around with the kids and watch the smiles on their faces."

Predators shopping spree

The gifts from the players took an army of people more than two days to wrap. But, first, the players had to buy the presents.

Bitetto, Sissons and Watson wore Predators sweaters while pushing carts through a local Walmart on a Friday afternoon in late November.

The three took their time playing Santa, choosing items from a provided list and making sure to pick out just the right gift.

That meant burying their thoughts in women's clothing, video games, bicycles and even some jewelry.

The three took over the tradition from former Predator Mike Ribeiro.

"Just to see the young kids opening their gifts, they're so excited and fired up for some presents," Sissons said. "Makes it all worth the while. I think all the families appreciated it."

The players did, too.

Bitetto joked during the shopping spree that the three should turn it into a game of "Supermarket Sweep."

Sherriece Harvell, 17, and her mother Andrea Robertson open their gifts during the West Nashville Dream Center Holiday Party at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Sissons said the Predators' involvement in the community was ingrained into him from the beginning. He visited children at a hospital during his first developmental camp.

"It runs deeply through the entire organization," Sissons said. "We feel lucky to be able to have a positive impact on families. ... We were picking out those presents with thought, thinking about what kids would actually wear and what toys they'd like to play with."

The Predators Foundation is involved with a number of such events throughout the year, including blood drives, toy drives and working with at-risk youth.